Eating green pine needles

[SeeUN100@cs.com]

Hi all, have a question I though someone might know?!!  My gelding has 
horrible feet and the cinders he was on were killing his feet.  Our farrier 
recommend putting wood chips down over the cinders to reduce the abrasiveness 
of them. APS, is now delivering wood chips to us daily...which is helping my 
horse feet tremendously!!!  The "BIG" problem is that my geldings kinda munch 
on them but the mare I board "chows" down on every new load (she would rather 
eat chips than breakfast!).  The chips are fresh and have a lot of green pine 
needles in them.  I talked to our vet, and he said that it shouldn't be a 
problem but then gentleman that is dumping our chips said that the last 
people he dumped for had two colts die (supposedly from the chips).  I 
believe I have read somewhere that fresh needles and chips where only toxic 
to pregnant mares?  Am I right, have any of you had ANY problems or heard of 
any problems associated to wood chips and/or pine needles????  Should I worry 
about impactions?   Will they get sick of them and stop eating them in time?  
Also, this isn't a brood mare....I don't think she will ever be bred.   

I am really worried about this mare (and my geldings) and any advice anyone 
can give me would be GREATLY appreciated.  Thank you so very much!!

Johnna Robb
Flagstaff, AZ
SeeUN100@cs.com
"He who is impatient waits twice." -- Mack McGinnis "


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